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Davy loved The New Roses album so much he tracked them down and got answers for some serious questions.
Hi there and thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today, it’s much appreciated..
“No problem. Anytime!”
The New Roses have a very Classic Hard Rock sound , something not usually associated with German music. It’s normally seen as more of a Power Metal stronghold. Was it a struggle to gain exposure at all ?
“We never thought about how tough or easy it would be for us, but we knew we have to become really good to make it out of this small town area where we grew up, so we just tried as hard as we could, and we are still working on it. I don’t think it depends on the kind of music that you play. It’s tough anyway and anywhere. So just have respect but don’t be scared.”
I believe that the area that the band hail from, Wiesbaden, has a large community of US military personnel stationed there ? Has this subconsciously had any influence on your sound in any way, as I hear echoes of some classic American hard rock bands throughout the album ?
“Not only subconsciously (laughs)! The first couple of hundred shows I played were in bars that were always packed with US military guys. We learned the songs they wanted to hear and I learned the language there. One of those guys became, and stayed, one of my very best friends. He knows every Rock ‘n’ Roll record ever recorded, so I learned so much from him. I hung out with him and his military friends. This way I got dive into the culture pretty deeply without travelling to the US.”
Clever. The new album, “Dead Man’s Voice” has a great organic feel to it, almost live in many instances. Was this intentional, or just the way things progressed in the studio ?
“It was a definite decision. Our first record “Without A Trace“ was a real studio production, with a fat sound and full of overdubs. This time we wanted to make clear where we come from and how this band sounds on stage. That process already started with writing the songs. I didn’t write any parts into the songs that you can’t play live with a four piece band.”
One of my favourite tracks on the album is “Thirsty” , a total fucking belter of a track that cries out to be cranked up all the way. How did the song come about ?
“That was the last song I wrote for the record. I came up with the riff during a soundcheck at a metal festival. The riff just came out when I checked my guitar. Urban, our drummer, shouted, “That is fucking awesome!“ so I stayed up all night and finished the song so we could still record it for the album, because the recording process was nearly done at that time. We are happy that we made it and knew right away that it’s gonna be the first single.”
Another highlight for me is “I Believe” which has a really fresh sound. I enjoyed the way that the song is very up tempo but slows down for the chorus. Was this always the idea ?
“Hell No (laughs)! I tried for a month to make the chorus even bigger than the verse, but I just couldn’t find an elegant way, so I tried to level down the verse, so the chorus feels bigger, but that killed the whole feeling of the song. I was almost tempted to kick the song from the record until I had the crazy idea to build the contrast between verse and chorus the opposite way that you would usually do it. At first it feels strange of course. But I knew that’s the way to go. I love it now.”
“Hurt Me Once Love Me Twice” is also another highlight, with a sound that is both very commercial, but also hard as nails. How important is it to have hooks in a song these days ?
“Big choruses are one main feature of the band, but I always try to keep the song exciting and unpredictable as well. If I mix these ingredients right, I know I just wrote a “The New Roses“ song.”
Your name… ‘The New Roses’… what was the thinking behind this ? Was it a statement of intent, a challenge to the “Old Roses”, or did it simply just fit ?
“The name alone should make clear what kind of band we are. A Rock ‘n’ Roll band! We like the rose as a symbol of our music, and we like to think that we are new generation that goes new ways but still know exactly where they come from.”
So… the ‘Old Roses’, Guns N’ Roses… with the reunion happening, are you curious to see if it will work, or will Slash and Duff just ruin all the good work from both their respective recent outputs?
“I actually might not care about this reunion as much as everyone else does. I’m curious how good or bad it’s gonna be, but I never liked Axl Rose, ’cause I always admired humble and audience orientated frontmen like Bruce Springsteen, or Ronnie Vant Zant.”
Sadly, you were on tour when the terrorist attack happened at The Bataclan in Paris, and subsequently you were stranded at the Swiss/French border as the French authorities closed all its borders. At that moment did you think that nothing will ever be the same again for a band that tours as relentlessly as you ?
“Nothing ever stays the same. It would be terrible if it would. This guy Heraklit said: Panta Rhei (everything flows). You can’t jump in the exact same river twice. So every event, incident or experience changes you, or at least has an certain effect on you. These attacks had a big effect on me. I was sad, scared, and full of rage at first, but then I realized that it’s always been like this, that people have always been killing other people for trifling, or way too subjective, reasons. This time it was close to us, but every time it’s close to someone, or someone else is affected. Just make sure you’re grateful for every damn day, even the really shit ones, and try to be righteous and good. At least that’s what I take from days like these.”
You have a heavy tour schedule coming up over the next few months, mostly in mainland Europe. Are there any plans to cross The Channel to hit the UK, or The Atlantic to gatecrash the US ?
“It’s not just a plan, it’s a promise. We are already working on the plans to make it real. We can’t wait for it.”
How did you come to be signed to Napalm Records, and how has it been so far ?
“Our management brought us together. We didn’t even think about it, ’cause they have a lot of really mean metal acts on their team, but so far we have been very surprised at how easy and how well we get along with the metal audience. Napalm know how to work with new acts and everybody there is a music fan and works with passion. So we really feel like a team and stronger than ever.”
Napalm are also home to Northern Irish band The Answer. Perhaps the label could get you guys out on tour together sometime in the future? That would be a hot ticket, for sure…
“I’ve seen them a couple of times and I would definitely enjoy sharing the stage with them!”
Lastly, the sad news about Brian Johnson threw up a hot topic to cause many a heated discussion all over the world. Who do you think will step into his boots on the re-arranged AC/DC dates ?
“I would laugh my ass off if Steven Tyler would apply for the job. He has the range and he is really pissed off with Joe Perry, so what could be meaner than joining the biggest rock band in the world? If I were him, I might do that (laughs). I know it’s crazy, but wouldn’t it be fucking awesome?
Wouldn’t it just? Well, our time is up, thanks again for your time, safe journeys on your travels and hopefully we’ll catch you guys live sometime in the near future. Cheers !
“Thank you, and thanks for spreading the word!”
Interview Dave Stott
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